Monster
by Psixi an'the Company of Fools
Summary: A prophecy warns that a shecat's kit shall be a monster. Yet not one, but five kits are born. Now Ashstar and Jayfeather fight time to figure out which of the kits the prophecy warns of, while Jackalkit, Falconkit, Nettlekit, Violetkit and Hollykit must find a way to fulfill their dreams with a prophecy looming overhead. A story of life, love, friendship, loyalty, unity and duty.
1. Introduction

**_Introduction_**

It is the reign of Ashstar, daughter of Dovewing. After Firestar's death, his daughter became Leafstar, who chose as her successor Ashbird. Thunderclan has had a relatively peaceful time.

However, the nine-live gifted Jayfeather has received a prophecy foretelling the arrival of doom among the clan. Soon, the doom arrives; or, to be precise, five kits of which one is the cat of the prophecy. Their arrival brings fear into the clan, and Jayfeather and Ashstar desperately try to figure out which of the five the prophecy speaks of- before it's too late.

Follow the fates of the five as this mystery and drama unfolds.

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**This story can already be found on the official warriors forums, but I decided to post it here too. Below is the original page. ^^**

**Please remove '*'s and copy & paste to visit.**

**[ http*:/*/*forums.*warriorcats.*com*/topic/362288771064912077]**

**EDIT:**

**I've been noticing a tendency that the Introduction and Prologue have a ton of views, but the actual chapters far less. **

**Please, if you just wish to take a quick look to check if this is worth reading, at least take a peek at the first chapter, okay?**

**Thank you, it really means a lot to me!**


	2. Prologue

A long-furred, faint grey tabby shecat stood adrift. The landscape, or rather sky, around her was full of snow and wind, bare cliffs, frosted ice, aura lights, comets and stars, all in a smudged and pulsing blur. It seemed strangely unreal, purple-white and blue-white and silver-white and dusty brown.

The shecat seemed to be fiercely concentrated, as if doing something requiring unimaginable effort. Suddenly, the world seemed to . . . waver. It seemed to suddenly become half-transparent, as if instantly a second world, no yet . . . no. No. Now that I think for a moment, the image I saw was not of another world but perhaps . . . I apologize for this shameless breaking of the fourth wall. It was not another world, but another time.

It looked as if a second time appeared over- or perhaps under-laying the time containing the shecat. The second time seemed to contain a cave, filled with shadows and a grey tabby tom, sitting two fox-lengths away from where the shecat hovered in the other time.

The shecat lashed out, claws out as if to tear a gap in the air. Yet, where her claws passed, the reality of her time seemed to shimmer and disappear, leaving only the second time, the tom's time.

"The Oak will Court the Crow's Daughter, And the Bird will Give Birth to a-" The shecat cried out her words firmly though with desperation and great effort. Each word resonated and vibrated with pure melodic hope. Yet her voice cracked as she spoke her last word and seemed to suddenly darken with dire, like a thunderclap of doom. " . . . Monster. "

In the second time the tom started, and his time blinked out of sight. Meanwhile in the shecat's reality, no longer half-transparent, the sky cracked with fire and seemed to be torn apart by lightning. The shecat, instants ago lifted in the air, now lay panting and splayed on the ground, gasping for breath. Eyes half-open she seemed to attempt to smile as she heaved with exhaustion.

"Go." She whispered softly. "Go, and save her where I couldn't."

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A black shecat followed a grey tabby tom, obviously agitated.

"You cannot be serious!" She snapped. "That's my daughter you're talking about!"

The tom looked irritated. "Starclan didn't give me nine lives so I could pick ticks off elders. The message is important, Crowcry."

"So? There is no proof my daughter is the prophecy cat!" The female retorted sharply.

The tom growled. "Stop pretending, Crowcry. The Oak will Court the Crow's Daughter? Oakfoot is Birdsong's, your daughter's, mate. It couldn't be clearer."

Crowcry grabbed onto that statement. "I knew Oakfoot was no good. From the moment I heard the prophecy, I knew Oakfoot was trouble."

The tabby remained silent as he lead the shecat forward. They reached a den and entered it.

Inside, a shecat gasped for breath, convulsing with pain. Beside her stood a stout, brown mackerel tabby tom and a sooty russet shecat. The tom was bent over the shecat, muttering comforting words under his breath. The sooty shecat looked up when the two cats entered the den.

"Oh, Jayfeather, it's good you're here." She meowed.

"And you, Ashstar." Jayfeather meowed, bowing his head respectfully as moved next to the laboring shecat. Meanwhile Crowcry glared at first Ashstar, then the brown tom. Ashstar, obviously uncomfortable, twitched her ear before she spoke.

"As you know," She started. "Jayfeather received a prophecy about two moons back. I cannot ignore the warning Starclan has sent us." The leader's vice was grave, and the brown tom's head flashed up fearfully. "However," Ashstar stated meaningfully, fixing both Crowcry, and then the brown tom, with her gaze. "I will not murder innocent cats, Oakfoot." She paused. "The offspring will only be killed if we are absolutely sure that it is the monster. I will not stain my warriors' paws with the blood of innocent kits unneededly. So, I will only order the kit dead if there is one, or at the most two, kits. Do you agree?"

"Of course, Ashstar! Thank you!" The tom exclaimed with unmeasurable gratitude and relief in his voice."Of course!"

"If Starclan's good to us, they'll make sure only one kit takes breath." Crowcry meowed darkly. No one answered her, as every eye focused on Birdsong and Jayfeather.

Ashstar began to pace, as Crowcry gave out noises of irritation while Oakheart looked on, obviously at loss. Jayfeather ignored everything else except for Birdsong.

Soon, much to Crowcry's displeasure, five kits suckled peacefully at Birdsong's belly. The dark shecat hissed and stalked out of the den, brushing roughly past her leader, who sat as if in shock by the entrance. Jayfeather stood up and walked over to sit next to her.

As Oakfoot and Birdsong cooed over their kits, Ashstar turned her head to look at Jayfeather.

"Now what do we do?" She asked hoarsely.


	3. Chapter1- Moss and Curses

**Chapter 1: Moss and Curses**

Hollykit felt herself being shoved by small, poking paws and tumbled out of the nest. She wailed, rolling until she hit another small, soft body. Moss shattered under her body weight and a tuft of it hit her nose and ear.

"Falconkit! Violetkit! By the mold-eaten fox-dung of Starclan, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Hollykit's mom's voice erupted among the sound of a solid thwack. Hollykit, slightly dizzy, blinked and tried to sit up. Through fuzzy eyes, she saw the blurred shape of her mom screeching at her littermates.

"Garlic-stank-ridden tick-bile! I have NEVER seen such yarrow-propertied behavior! Do you toad-pus-worth badg-"

"Birdsong!" A horrified voice broke in. "Not in front of kits! Calm yourself!"

"I'm calm myself when these bee-heads calm _themselves!_" Her mom's retort was sharp and enraged, but Hollykit could feel her mom's anger ebbing away. Birdsong huffed and turned to Hollykit, lowering herself to look at her daughter tenderly. "Are you alright, sweetie?" She inquired with a note of worry in her voice.

"I'm fine Ma!" Hollykit enthused brightly, before snapping her head to measure her siblings with a challenging gaze. "I'll get you back for that!" She added with a squeal, launching off her other sister's, Jackalkit's, nest and streaking towards Falconkit, bowling into him.

Birdsong gave a weary sigh of amusement as the two tumbled, before returning her attention to her remaining daughter. "And you, Jackalkit?" she queried.

"I'm alright." Jackalkit simply stated, hopping off her nest to get a better look of her wrestling siblings.

Birdsong, slightly unbalanced by the sudden disappearance of her reason for anger, hesitated for a moment before huffing once more in exasperation and plopping back into her own nest.

Honeyleaf, the other queen, watched with considerable amusement. "I swear, Birdsong, if your kits aren't made apprentices soon, the nursery won't stay standing long!"

Hollykit, who just kicked Falconkit away and into the nursery wall, heard Birdsong make a noise of regretful agreement. "Somedays I consider going to Ashstar and begging her to make them apprentices immediately." She meowed mournfully.

"Would you _please_?" Pleaded Violetkit, which caused the two queens to chuckle. Hollykit teasingly swiped a paw at her sister, and Violetkit dodged the strike neatly, sticking out her tongue. Falconkit, who by now had managed to return to them, grinned at his sister.

"Masterfully, Violetstar, masterfully." He mocked, which caused both his sisters to turn on him, shoving him over. "No fair!" He purred, as the sisters jabbed at him together, pummeling him with moss.

"Fair as a fox!" Hollykit cheerfully informed him, tossing a hefty piece of bedding.

"All right, out, the lot of you!" Birdsong ordered severely. "When I said you could play inside, I didn't mean that you could destroy the nursery! Out! Flykit and Finchkit need their rest!"

"Must I go too?" The whine came from Nettlekit, the last of Hollykit's siblings, currently laying in his nest with his head on his paws.

Birdsong sighed heavily, rolling her eyes upward as if beseeching Starclan. "It'd do you good . . ."

"But it's raining!" Nettlekit whined again. "I'll get cold and wet and I_ hate _being cold and wet and out in the rain!"

"Fine, stay." Birdsong muttered, almost growling. Her eyes softened when she looked at Nettlekit, but Hollykit knew that her mom wasn't in the mood for negotiations. Violetkit looked like she also wanted to complain, but Falconkit lowered his voice.

"Don't push it." He muttered steering his sister outside, followed by Hollykit, and Jackalkit, obediently bringing up the rear.


	4. Chapter2- Rain's Refreshment & Moistness

**I just want to say I started squealing and hugging myself when I read all of your great reviews. **

**Thank you all so much!**

**It really means a lot to me. **

**It's 23:15 now (I've just gotten back from a three-day trip to the mountains), but I have enough time to copy the second chapter from the forums, to here.**

**May I present, Chapter Two of Monster!**

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**Chapter 2**

Falconkit breathed in the air and rain. He felt refreshed, alive. Purring, he raced out in front of his sisters, reveling in the feeling of cold raindrops in his fur and the chill slashing into his skin. A puddle shattered under his paws.

"Yowr! That's cold!" Violetkit's voice was full of shock.

"What did you expect?" Hollykit admonished her. "It's a New-Leaf rain!"

Falconkit smiled, though he turned away from his bickering sisters. He felt a small body press against him, and saw Jackalkit tucking herself into his fur. He smiled down at his quiet sister and she gave him a small smile in return. The small droplets hit the ground with a soft 'dum dum'.

"What do you think?" He asked her.

"I like it." Jackalkit replied simply, as she always did. But her eyes glittered as she looked up at Falconkit, telling him she loved each cooling drop and energizing burst of air. Falconkit reached down to touch his nose with hers when a splash of dirty water splattered against his fur. He snapped around as his sisters stomped over.

"Let's get out of the rain!" Violetkit cried out, her paws hitting the earth, as she streaked past them to get to the elder's den, Hollykit close on her heels. Jackalkit and Falconkit sighed as one and ran after them.

Falconkit fixed his gaze on the dark bramble den, tucked under three old and bent trees at the edge of camp, leaning against the cliff wall. Carefully not to get his fur snagged on the old, stiff thorns, Falconkit followed his sisters. The old, musky smell of wet dust and branches was a sharp contrast to the scent of the new-leaf air.

Though, honestly, sharp was a word hard to picture in the stuffy atmosphere.

Still, Falconkit couldn't help liking the elders. There was agreeable old Whitecall, his ma's mother-in-law. And Lightningwing, with a wealth of stories and the oldest elder. And Frightfur, innocently honest and defiant. And the littermates Greystep and Fennelnose.

As usual, Fennelnose noticed them first.

"Well, wou'd'a lookit that Greystep!" He purposely drawled. "A' believe sa'm wee'zal kits snuck in!"

"Don't joke, Fennelnose." Greystep grumbled. "Weasels are serious business."

"We're no weasels!" Violetkit exclaimed in an offended tone.

"Hopping around like that, one could be fooled." Whitecall teased, with a squint in her watery eyes, but a purr in her chest.

"Not hopping!" Injected Violetkit as Fennelnose sighed, "I wish I could still hop."

"None of us could hop, even if this rain didn't bloat up our bones." Frightfur informed her denmate cheerfully. Fennelnose flicked his ear, admitting Frightfur was right.

Greystep rumbled deep in his throat. "You'd best quiet down, or you'll wake Lightningwing."

Whitecall laughed. "Well, she's not as grumpy as you, Greystep, so I doubt it'd cost us our lives." She purred good-naturedly. "Though, perhaps you're right." She shifted in her nest, and sighed. "If this dratted rain doesn't give up soon, we'll be left with nests made of bracken."

Falconkit knew that there was a shortage of moss with all the rains. He felt slightly guilty, knowing most of whatever moss was left went to the nursery and medicine den. Where it was promptly destroyed by him and his littermates. Perhaps Birdsong was right to chase them out.

"Isn't rain good for moss?" Queried Violetkit, confused.

Fennelnose and Frightfur purred with amusement and Whitecall shook her head. "All the moss warriors find is soaking and unusable."

"Everything is soaking." Greystep growled, shifting in his nest and laying his head sideways on his paws.

Frightfur flashed him a sharp, bright, merry gaze. "Most things are wet during rain showers, Greystep. I mean, rain's wet, isn't it?"

"Robinleap says the rain will end soon; most like after tomorrow." Jackalkit said softly.

The cats looked at her in surprise. Even Greystep opened an eye to stare at her. Only Frightfur and Falconkit seemed unperturbed.

"Well, that settles it." Frightfur declared cheerfully. "Robinleap's more creditable than any saying."

Greystep sighed deeply, closed his eye, then opened it again. "What are you pups doing here anyway?" He grumbled.

Violetkit hesitated, discomforted, and Falconkit felt his face go warm, but Hollykit just looked at the elderly tom. "Birdsong chased us out." She meowed simply.

"I'm not surprised!" Whitecall exclaimed. "I can't believe one of the queens hasn't strangled you lot yet." She paused, as if just realizing Nettlekit was missing. "Speaking of, where's the burr?"

"Ma let him stay." Violetkit responded truthfully.

Fennelnose raised his eyebrow. "I thought she'd want to get that one out of the den first."

Falconkit bristled defensively. It seemed everycat looked sideways at Nettlekit. His brother could be difficult, and definitely rude, but he was just as sensitive. And his mother loved him just as much! Cats knew nothing about Nettlekit, never saw him hurt, scared, never saw him press against Birdsong, never saw him help Jackalkit repair whatever damage their littermates did, yet all almost naturally frowned at him as the rude and hot-headed one of the litter.

But before he could speak, Frightfur lightly cuffed Fennelnose. "Birdsong would be more likely to shred you for the comment." She teasingly corrected him warmly.

Falconkit felt a rush of gratitude and Whitewall gave out a small chuckle.

"Aye, I suppose Frightfur's got the right of that." Whitecall seemed amused. "Never saw a queen half so defensive."

"Oh, I think Crowcry was a close second." Injected Fennelnose.

Whitecall snorted at that. "She was so overprotective she nearly shredded my nose when I poked it into the nursery to check out little Icekit and Birdkit."

Violetkit's eyes went wide. "You actually saw mom as a kit?"

The elders purred- well, all of them except for Greystep and Lightningwing. "Yung'on, that comment could be taken as extremely tactless!" Whitecall's voice hid no upset though, only merriment.

"Admit it, Whitecall, you're older than the Moonpool!" Crowed Fennelnose with delight.

"Far older!" Laughed Frightfur with twinkling eyes."You remember Thunderstar as a little kit!"

Whitecall was about to launch a comeback at her denmates when Hollykit's voice bloomed as a gasp. "Really?"

"Look what you've done!" Cried out Whitecall with exasperation in her meow, but Frightfur and Fennelnose laughed only the harder. Falconkit and Violetkit laughed with them, and Hollykit, hearing the mocking dismay in Whitecall's voice, joined them as well. Even Jackalkit and Greystep cracked smiles.

"Bite Firestar on 'is starry rump, Whitecall nursed Thunderstar!" Yowled Fennelnose even greater delight in his meow.

Lightningwing cracked an eye open.


	5. Chapter3- Open Glares and Bored Eyes

**Yay! Chapter Three here! Have some grumpy Nettlekit!**

**^/^**

**Ain't he a cutie?**

***is greeted with silence***

***huffs* Aw, come on. I'm kidding you know. You can laugh.**

**Anyway, here's your third chapter. Only two more to upload from the forums before I settle down for some writing.**

**Yay! ^^**

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**Chapter 3**

Nettlekit was bored.

The only interesting thing that happened lately, was his mom screeching at his littermates for waking Lightingwing. In fact, the waking of Lightningwing was quite possibly the most entertaining thing to happen for quite a while. Too bad Mom hadn't allowed him to watch.

Falconkit and Violetkit were still sulking. Hollykit had been the least moved by the elder's and their mom's rages, but the death glares Birdsong kept sending them had finally ruffled his sister's fur. She was ignoring Mom in a way that was almost impressive.

Nettlekit munched the mouse meat he had stolen quietly. No use getting Mom angry at him for snacking on fresh-kill. She usually didn't mind, (He was nearly five moons old.) but when she was annoyed, the smallest things put her off.

Better lie low for the while.

Thank Starclan Juniperpaw was willing to assist him in smuggling practices. He felt a wave of gratitude for the apprentice.

Following that train of thought for a few heartbeats, Nettlekit mused about whether his littermates would have their apprenticeships put off. He didn't feel particularly worried, but sincerely hoped Jackalkit wouldn't be punished. He liked her best of his siblings. He didn't believe she was fully guilty anyway.

Funny, that. Nettlekit vaguely thought he should feel something about his littermates' antic, though, honestly, he didn't see the point. Their lives, their problems. He has his own problems. Right now, the main one was boredom.

Maybe Juniperpaw would visit. Or even Frightfur. He liked Frightfur. She was nice.

He continued to stare glazed-eyed at the entrance to the den, faintly aware of his Mom's growing irritation (she had stopped grooming herself and her gaze was steadily increasing in intensity as it bore into him) and reverently praying to Starclan that something would finally happen.

Starclan must've been feeling generous.

Nettlekit looked up with interest when Finchkit let out a little squeak. The tiny honey tabby squirmed and wiggled, her little nose twitching and her eyes scrunched up. Honeyleaf gasped and exchanged an excited look with Mom, their eyes twinkling.

Before anycat did anything else, Finchkit's eyes popped open, revealing a gleam of honey amber. Honeyleaf cooed and touched noses with her daughter.

"You've opened your eyes!" She purred, nuzzling her kit.

"Ma?" The kitten squeaked questioningly, blinking rapidly. Nettlekit felt a way of disgusted disappointment. Its brain is so little it doesn't even know who's its ma.

"Starclan, it's dung-brained." Nettlekit muttered. Thankfully, Mom didn't hear him, being too busy squeaking at the sight of the kit. Honeyleaf was telling her daughter who she and Mom were and Finchkit had squealed 'Oh!', which had caused Mom to exclaim what a bright kit the shecat was. However, Hollykit heard and shot him a dirty look. Nettlekit glared back at her.

For a second, they held each others' gazes, Hollykit's eyes fueled by disapproval and accusation while Nettlekit's with stubbornness and cold. Finally, their gazes cracked.

Hollykit, disgusted, turned back around towards Honeyleaf and her kits' nest. Nettlekit loosened his jaw and let out his breath. Subdued, he kept his unfriendly gaze on Finchkit. The shekit had perked up and was looking around curiously. Nettlekit knew she was going to start piping out questions right and left.

He grumpily got up and slipped out of the den. The queens were too busy giggling over Finchkit on the other side to notice. Nettlekit caught his sister's eyes following his pawsteps, but Hollykit said nothing. A faint, momentary flash of gratitude seeped through him. He padded out the den before Finchkit could start chittering.

He did not feel like chatting.


	6. Chapter4- Morning Peace

**Now a Jackalkit POV; she was probably the favorite character of Monster on the forums; I wonder what you guys think of her. X3 The fact everyone loved her is amusing in itself as she barely spoke. But she's so cute!~3**

**Anyway, digressing, how do you guys read this? I like reading with 1/2 page full, story contrast, and smaller letters. Looks more like the forums, is read easier, and I think it's cooler. How 'bout you?**

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**Chapter 4**

Jackalkit didn't wake up. Not really.

She simply saw the light. She didn't have an actual moment of waking. Jackalkit was just suddenly aware. Blinking her amber obsidian eyes, she stood up and flowed between her denmates' sleeping bodies.

Once she stood outside, Jackalkit just stopped for a moment and looked.

The camp stood silent, wreathed in sunlight and warmth. Sun rays filtered through the morning, after-rain haze. The huge, smooth walls glowed with gold, the forest greenery at their tops invisible to the young shekit. Maybe it didn't even exist.

The tiny shekit, looking like a lost shaft of light or the sun's very shadow herself, drifted through the camp.

Jackalkit liked sunrise. The silence was calming and good, and she liked the feeling of being alone. The whole world belonged to her, her only, because only she was there to claim it. A whole new world was being born, and she was watching over it.

Only a few cats were awake, the ones that didn't break the morning peace, being more like fragments of scenery than actual cats. In a shadowed corner of camp, Dogtooth was talking with Icesong quietly, eyes serious. Robinleap was just dropping two pieces of prey on the fresh-kill pile, her features tired. She must have woken up early to hunt for the clan. Jackalkit felt a wave of concern and interest. Why had the shecat gotten up obviously too early?

Jackalkit observed the warrior quietly. Robinleap's bedraggled fur, haunted eyes. Jackalkit decided it was either nightmares or need to prove herself. Robinleap obviously hadn't eaten either, as her tail trembled when she looked over the freshkill. The shecat as if tightened her jaw before sweeping out of camp once more. Jackalkit observed, impassive.

Sprucecloud, Sweetfern and Sunswallow suddenly entered the camp. Tealpaw ran in last, nearly pouncing across the camp.

Dogtooth leapt to his feet. "Any scent?" he called out by way of greeted. Jackalkit noticed her aunt slip to the brown warrior's side, her sharp eyes narrowed.

"Yes." Sunswallow grimaced. "That gyrfalcon is still round. And it's uncomfortably close to camp."

Dogtooth narrowed his eyes. "I don't think any bird is willing enough to dive into such a bare-walled quarry. And with such a depth."

"Let's hope." Sunswallow said dryly. "Otherwise we might find ourselves a few kits less. I'd thought about forbidding them to leave the nursery, but-"

"-that'll just cause them to make a point of staying outside." finished Icesong.

Sweetfern sat down and lashed her tail. "It's not even just kits. A gyrfalcon could prey on apprentices also." She said in a worried voice. "We can't halt their training!"

"We'll just have to keep an eye on them all. I still doubt if it would assault a loud clan." Dogtooth decided, giving his broad head a shake.

"How'd the patrol go?" Beechfeather, a young silver tom, walked up to the conferring warriors. Sprucecloud, looking downright relieved to break free of his uncomfortable position in the senior warriors' discussion, quickly joined his denmate.

"We scented that gyrfalcon north of camp." Sprucecloud informed the silver warrior.

Beechfeather's eyes widened with interest. "The one Crowcry spotted flying over the old beechnut tree and made such a big fuss over?"

"Her intuitions were correct . . ." Sprucecloud admonished his clanmate, their voices fading as they headed away from the senior warriors. " . . . have to do something about it . . ."

Jackalkit turned away and watched more cats wake. Mapletail and Ivysong discussed training techniques as they slipped out of the freshly strengthened and rebuilt warrior's den, it's brambles still crisp and green. Tealpaw chatted with Juniperpaw, both of them busily engaged in conversation over the despecible taste of rain-water moist fresh-kill. Jackalkit slowly returned to the nursery, watching Redfur stride out of the medicine cat den and yawn.

When Jackalkit neared the nursery, Violetkit and Hollykit ran out of the den, taunting little Finchkit who was chasing them, nearly trampling Jackalkit.

Jackalkit watched them streak across the camp, before gracelessly ending their game of tag by slamming into Dogtooth's rear end. As shrieks and hectoring filled the air, Jackalkit let out a long sigh.

Morning's peace was fractured. The clan had woken.


	7. Chapter5- Hunting

**Finally, a Violetkit POV.**

**I honestly planned to do this girl earlier. Oh well. **

**I remember the difficulty I had with diferinating the two sisters, Violetkit and Hollykit. Their personalities were almost exactly the same. Jackalkit, Nettlekit, even Falconkit had unique traits and characters, but I couldn't make those two original.  
****Finally I managed to pin down what their differences lean on;  
Hollykit is more of the dynamic leader, she's fiery, fierce and strong-willed, with good judgment and an ability to rouse others. She is rather similar to her namesake, Hollyleaf, though she's obviously more wild, loves fighting, always with that gleam in her eye.  
Violetkit, while also wild and energetic, show signs of a more thoughtful, mystical shecat, sometimes dreamy and full of fantastic ideas and her head in the clouds. She's easily the most kitlike of the litter, not strangely mature like Jackalkit or Falconkit, unnaturally belligerent and grumpy like Nettlekit, or honorable and fiery like Hollykit.**

**Oh, I think I forgot to mention the theme song in the earlier chapters.  
While this idea is from when I was nine, I got the inspiration to actually write this roughly a year ago, when listening to a song I had heard a thousand times before and never really liked. But listening to it, suddenly this long forgotten idea returned to me, and I started squealing and grabbing paper and pens.**

**The theme song for this fanfiction is "25 Years" by Blackmore's Night. **

**I strongly suggest listening to it. ^^ '25 Years'**

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**Chapter 5**

_Violetkit was racing across a field of gray and white._

_Wherever her opal paws touched the ground, cold bit into her skin. Looking down at her running legs with mild curiosity, she noticed that the ground seemed to be hard stone under the cover of a crumbling cold, white._

_She was running alone, a tiny speck in the middle of a white flatland, stretching as far as the eye could see. The air seemed to be made of a faint fog, blurring the distance. Violetkit felt strangely detatched, like nothing in the world matered anymore. She wondered why she was running, then abandoned the thought, disinterested. Letting go, she laid back._

_Then she looked up._

_The sky pierced her brain with a stunning intensity, though when the light faded from her eyes, Violetkit saw it was simply grey. Yet her eyes still wandered higher and higher, and the further up she looked, the darker the sky bloomed. And then she saw it._

_Directly above her head hung an orb, a ball-shaped mirror. When her eyes fixed themselves on it, the orb suddenly reflected their hue, as if her irises were painting it, dying it in their color, trying to create her a third eye. The ground seemed to fade from her feet, and she knew she should be falling._

_A purple moon floated above her._

_Violetkit vaguely thought that there was something important, something she was supposed to have noticed, but it was all fading . . . fading, falling away from her paws like the fireflies on a full-leaf evening . . ._

"Moh-oh-oh-OH-ohm!"

Violetkit blinked her eyes open as the screechy whine sent slivers into her ears. She recognized Nettlekit's voice, whiny and annoying, and he had somehow managed to fit a dozen syllables into the word.

She twisted her head to look at him. His eyes were blazing and he sat rigidly, like a very mean, very aggravated and very scruffy mosquito with a siren as a voice.

Irritated, she growled and lashed her tail violently, whipping it against her brother's head. Nettlekit gave a screech, automatically raising his paw and hitting her tail with it. The impact and her brother's claws had made her tail throb, but Violetkit raised herself to a sitting position and faced her littermate with smug satisfaction.  
Nettlekit hissed at her, eyes filled with loathing. "Yarrow-breath!" He spat at her, glaring at her with contempt.

Violetkit bared her teeth, but before she could launch either herself or an insult at Nettlekit, Birdsong stepped into the nursery.

"Nettlekit!" She scolded. "Don't use such words! And Violetkit, be nice to your brother!"

He's not nice to ME! Violetkit remained quiet, though. She knew it was better not to talk back.

"Momeeee!" Nettlekit whined again.

Birdsong sighed. "Yes?"

"My tummy hurts, Violetkit hit me, I feel bad, everyone's mean to me and I wanya to fix it!"

"I should take Ferneye's example and leave the nursery." The queen muttered before replying to her kit. "Alright, come on, I'll take you to Jayfeather."

Violetkit felt strangely satisfied as she watched her mom exit the den, the queen not even looking back to make sure her son was following. Then Nettlekit walked past her, and a sudden crack made Violetkit's muzzle flash with pain. Disgusting fur filled her mouth and she spat it out. Nettlekit shot her a smug smirk and he strode out of the nursery before she could retaliate.

"Don't you ever clean your pelt!?" Violetkit yowled after her gone brother. Hissing and trying to rid herself of the taste of her brother's fur, she turned back to her nest. The commotion had woken Flykit and Hollykit, though the others, further behind in the back of the nursery, were miraculously asleep. Hollykit gave her a sympathetic glance.

"Nettlekit must just be feeling unwell." Meowed Flykit, attempting to cheer up his denmate and explain her brother's actions. Hollykit gave a dry laugh and Violetkit hissed again, her neck fur rising.

"The tick-faced furball doesn't ever feel good! He's never fine!" Violetkit snapped, though she tried not to direct her anger at the little kit.

Flykit's eyes went round. "That's impossible! Never?" he breathed, shock in his voice. Violetkit winced. _Mouse dung . . ._

"Flykit's right, but one must admit Nettlekit could annoy to death even the code of probability." Hollykit's voice was, as contrast, amused, and she spoke smoothly. Violetkit grinned at her sister.

"You've got that right!" She purred, but they all fell silent when a shadow, then shape, enter the nursery. Then Flykit gave a happy squeak.

"Brookpaw!"

The pretty tabby apprentice grinned. "Hi there, little fluff!"

"Brookpaw!" Violetkit echoed, hopping to her paws excitedly. Brookpaw and her littermates had been in nursery for a little while when she was smaller. They had become paws almost three moons ago, though Brookpaw still came to visit sometimes. "How's Acornpaw? And Basilpaw?"

"Fine, fine! We're going gyrfalcon hunting!" Brookpaw's voice was excited, and she was practically pouncing up and down.

"Wow!" Flykit gasped. Then he hesitated. "Umm . . . what's a gyrfalcon?"

Brookpaw laughed. "It's a really, really big bird that can hunt even foxes!"

"Amazing!" Hollykit gushed, her eyes gleaming. "That's like an eagle!"

Violetkit made a noise of eager agreement. She couldn't believe their luck! She couldn't wait till the bird was caught so she could see it!

Brookpaw flicked her tail, pleased at her audience's reaction. "Thought you'd like to know. I'll bring you all of the feathers!" And with that, she dashed out just as fast as she came.

Violetkit watched with envy. She couldn't wait till she was an apprentice!


	8. Chapter6- Herb Stink

**Okay, hi guys!**

**You finally have the next chapter! 83**

**Yeah, the reason it took so long is because I simply had the hardest time deciding whose POV we'd have here.**

**Plus, I've been working on a timeline of the events between 'The Forgotten Warrior' and this book, and LET ME TELL YOU, it's not easy!**

**Like, seriously. I have to kill off 40 cats, two of them nine times over. Not easy, not easy at all.**

**I first decided on Falconkit, but after writing a total of a dozen sentences during two days, I decided to give it a break and switched to Nettlekit. Man, I love that grump! So fun to write about him.**

**Why is it always the b*tchy characters whose points of view are the best to write?**

**Hmm. Maybe because I can vent out my irritation through the character, having him do things I would never dare in reality? *sighs* That's what you get for being a goody-two shoes I suppose.**

**Anyway, guys, please tell me by the reviews what you think of the story, the characters. Who's your favorite? Who do you think will be the monster? I just love hearing things like that from you, even more than a 'That's great!' or 'Cool plot!'!**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Nettlekit felt smugly satisfied at his sister's yelp. He had managed to get the upper hand, hah!

Feeling very satisfied, the small tom followed his mom through the rain, managing to ignore the drizzle and his belly's complaining.

Looking past the dismal grey raindrops and his mother's brown tail to Jayfeather's den, Nettlekit felt like snorting when he remembered how the queens and elders had sighed and moaned for Newleaf to come. Right. If this grey wetness was what they had been so desperate for, well, that just proved his opinion of them all. He seriously preferred Leafbare.

At least the snow had stayed in one piece.

Walking across camp with his mother, Nettlekit didn't spare any other cats even a glance.

Stepping on his mom's tail, Nettlekit quickly shoved past the brambles framing the entrance of Jayfeather's den, his pelt raked by the stiff stems, scraping his skin, through his fur, against the rough texture.

Giving himself a shake, Nettlekit could just make out the medicine cat in the gloom. The grey tabby was organizing his herbs, not bothered by the dark, which wasn't anything extraordinary. Nettlekit had visited the medicine cat many times before, unlike his siblings.

Hollykit had yet to to see the den, Falconkit and Jackalkit, strange as they were, despite not being sick actually _visited_, and Violetkit had been there only once, when she wrenched a claw after taking a bet to run up the bramble wall and hang upside-down from the ceiling, quite possibly the most mouse-brained thing she'd done.

Nettlekit wasn't a sickly tom; he was just very annoyed by any and all discomfort, and felt better after yowling and complaining and irritating someone by having them take him across the camp to Jayfeather. The medicine cat had grown used to the visits, like an elder who had gotten used to an unreachable tick, something one simply had to tolerate until an apprentice took care of the matter.

Sensing them, the medicine cat raised his head, sharp blue eyes suddenly piercing through the darkness, unnaturally vibrant. Nettlekit felt himself shiver at the eerie gaze.

Birdsong dipped her head respectfully towards the medicine cat. "Jayfeather."

The grey tom straightened, still keeping his blind blue eyes on the queen and her kit. His eyes moved to the kit, and for just an instant, Nettlekit felt the tom's sharp, searching gaze, before the look in Jayfeather's eyes softened slightly and turned to the brown shecat.

"What is it now?" The hunched over tom growled slightly, twitching his tail. Nettlekit glared at him from behind his mother's hindquarters. _Nice to see you again too, herb-stink._

Nettlekit thought he saw the medicine cat's eyes flicker to him again for a moment, an amused look so quick Nettlekit thought he imagined it. As if the grey tom had read his thoughts. Creepy. Nettlekit glared at Jayfeather again, but now the tom was ignoring him.

"Nettlekit's stomach hurts." _Again_. Birdsong didn't say it out loud, but Nettlekit heard the added word as clearly as if his mom had actually spoken it. Jayfeather snorted, turning back to his herbs to locate the ones which would get the annoying kit out of his den.

"It's not like it's my fault!" Nettlekit snarled, this time glaring up at his mother's backside. Birdsong twisted her head to look at her son, who just glared at her harder, having made eye contact. Jayfeather turned his head toward them slightly, as if he could actually see them through his narrowed eyes. It was hard to tell if the medicine cat was annoyed at the confrontation or entertained by it. "The prey is all soaked wet, and won't just rest in my belly normally!"

"You- When, and how, in Silverpelt, did you manage to get fresh-kill to eat!?" Birdsong demanded, her amber eyes flashing while she lashed her tail violently, almost hitting her son.

Skidding out of the way of her tail, Nettlekit rolled his eyes at his mother. "Yesterday. With my mouth." He retorted.

"Very respectful," The grey medicine cat muttered to himself under his breath so that neither mother nor son would hear, twitching his ears.

Birdsong looked ready to explode, the fur along her spine rising and haunches stiffening. It impressive, in it's own way. Nettlekit found it so, at least, staring up at his mother's clenched jaw and the fiery pinpoint in her eye. Actually, his mom looked like that a lot lately, Nettlekit reflected. He had just never seen it from the view point of her rear.

"You've been eating fresh-kill!?" Birdsong twisted to face her son, so violently she snapped her neck and gave out a choked screech of pain and fury.

"What's it to you?" Nettlekit scoffed, sitting back on his haunches, defiantly holding his mom's gaze.

"What's it to me . . . you little impertinent-!"

"Kits his age already eat fresh-kill, Birdsong. Don't be silly." This time it was the grey tabby scoffing, his tone with a note of reprimand. Birdsong paused, turning to the tom with surprise and a flush of embarrassment. Nettlekit looked to the medicine cat, also surprised Jayfeather was taking his side.

The tabby flicked his tail, blue eyes somehow fixing on the queen's amber eyes. He spoke slowly, each word carefully weighed."I think you shouldn't be so hard on your kits. Eating prey won't make them trusted less."

There was a moment of silence, before the medicine cat continued, his tone slightly lighter. "I've had both Brackenfang and Olivepelt complaining of stomach pains from eating moist prey, and you complaining about your kits' complaining. Nettlekit's complaining isn't different from Brackenfang and Olivepelt's, though perhaps less, hmm, _reserved_."

After pausing for a moment, Birdsong sighed heavily.

"Very well." She gave her head a rpoud shake, as if pushing away her embarrassment at the medicine cat's disapproval. There was slight amusement in her tone when she turned around and brushed past Nettlekit to get to the entrance, grinning back at Jayfeather. "I'll remember not to vent my frustrations in your den and also be more, _hmm_, _reserved _about what's annoying me."

Nettlekit couldn't help but cock his head with pleasure. _Go Mom!_

Jayfeather chose to ignore the barb. He fixed his gaze on Nettlekit, and dropped some berries and thin leaves before the kit.

"Juniper and parsley." The medicine cat clarified curtly. Nettlekit couldn't help but roll his eyes as he dipped his head to eat the herbs, even knowing that the gesture was wasted on the blind tom. It wasn't like knowing the names helped him with anything.

The grey tom didn't draw back immediately though. Instead, he leaned forward, above Nettlekit's ear, which the little messy-furred brown tom twitched at the feeling of the medicine cat's hot breath. Swallowing, Nettlekit drew his head back violently, narrowing his eyes while looking up at Jayfeather's glittering blue gaze. The corner of the tabby tom's mouth twitched.

"Hopefully there isn't too much of my _herb stink_ on them." The tom murmured, so fast and quick he was already facing his stores again before Nettlekit registered his words. Wide-eyed, the tiny tom jumped to his paws. He stood still for a moment, bristling and stiff-tailed.

Then he turned and high-tailed it out the den, turning around only at the entrance to yowl back at the grey tabby.

"Creepy!"

His only reply was the faintest sound of a snort among the raindrops.

* * *

**Very short. I'm sorry guys. Next one will be better, I swear.**

**Oh, also, should Cinderheart and Bumblestripe have kits? Actually, who should be Cinderheart' mate?**

**I mean, she's supposed to be alive again so she can be a lover and a mother. And no, I can't pair her with Lionblaze, because Lionblaze dies not too long after the Great Battle. Honestly, his death is rather humiliating; the great Warrior of the Three dies from a few sips of poisoned water.**

**Serves him right.**

**That mangy piece of fox-dung.**

**I hate Lionblaze possibly the most of any and all characters. Even Tigerheart at least was a good villain. Lionblaze is just an unbelievably shallow hero. And it's because of him I hated Cinderheart for a long time and because of him Heathertail is so cold. Seriously, I've only managed to overcome my intense dislike of Cinderheart in the latest books by reminding myself of how she was when she was younger, B.L.D. (Before Lionblaze Drama) **

**I miss B.L.D. Heathertail too. When she and Lionblaze were apprentices, they were so cute and lively. I loved both of them. Nowadays, Lionblaze is just so completely- ugh. The only word that describes him is 'shallow'.**

**But anyway, enough of my rant.**

**Hope you enjoyed! See you next chapter!**


	9. Chapter7- Choices

**Chapter 7**

Ashstar stretched, moaning as she stiffened her paws.

Sighing, the sooty russet shecat pulled herself to her feet. She looked around at her den through bleary eyes, noting that the sun was rising. Shaking herself, she gave her den one more look, trying to make the blissful isolation last as long as she could. The inside of the small cave was blissfully dim and shady, her fern nest in the deepest corner. For a long time, sleeping alone made her uncomfortable, but now, she actually reveled in the peace.

She closed her eyes for a moment to let her sleepiness float away and let restfulness take its place, but her wakened ears caught the sounds of _mrrow_s and laughter from outside her den. Ashstar let out her breath heavily. Drat. She truly had to leave her den now.

Padding out into the sunlight, she didn't even pause when the sun flashed in her green eyes. Wearily and sleep-heavy, she dragged herself over to the base of the Highledge, where she sat herself in the shade, so that she could watch the morning proceedings without being noticed, while she waited for her deputy.

Pinewhite was already announcing the patrols, and Ashstar couldn't stop an irrational burst of pride in her choice. Her deputy was dedicated and organized, a necessary with Ashstar's own spontaneous and easy-going attitude. She felt amused, trying to imagine dealing with the clan without her deputy. Perhaps the apprentices wouldn't mind, but she doubted whether the clan would work at all efficiently.

Meanwhile, Pinewhite was rattling off the hunting patrols. "Embereye, Tinyfeather, and Tadpolewhisker, take Tealpaw and see what you can find at the lakeside. Might be a good occasion for some basic water training too. Brackenfang, take Redfur, Ruststrike, Dogtooth and Frogleap to the woods near Shadowclan."

Hearing the names, Ashstar looked over and saw Redfur teasingly shove her brother, who simply rolled his eyes at her antics. Ruststrike strolled over to the duo, seemingly careless, but Ashstar could see the joy in his step. Dogtooth joined with a similar pleasure.

Frogleap, the only one on the patrol not a close friend with the others, flicked his ears nervously but approached the more senior warriors with his familiar optimism. She smiled to herself. Ashstar knew that Brackenfang would take the pain to welcome the young warrior into their group, and that Redfur and Ruststrike would quickly accept him, despite their initial coolness.

She heard a thump beside her and turned to see Pinewhite settle himself down across from her, familiar with their routine.

Ashstar nodded at him. "Good choices for patrol." She offered, flicking her tail.

"I only took your advice." The tom replied, giving her a small smile while tilting his stately head.

"Still, I didn't tell you to sic Tinyfeather and Tadpolewhisker on Embereye." Ashstar reminded him, purring.

Her deputy shrugged, but she saw his grin. "I thought Embereye would handle them. As one of the older warriors, she should spend some time with the young ones. They all need it."

"Very true! Oh, em, Pinewhite?"

"Yes . . . ?" The brown tabby and white tom was suddenly wary, keeping his eyes on his leader. _He knows me well enough to know that he should beware a question like that_, Ashstar realized ruefully.

She tried to formulate the question in her head, then sighed heavily. "I can't choose mentors for Birdsong's kits."

"Why? It's not that hard; you usually choose mentors right off the bat, after the barest glance."

Ashstar lashed her tail in frustration. "It's not so simple now!" She protested, looking at him pleadingly. "My decision could be the key here! What if I choose wrong? What if I choose a Thisteclaw? Create another Tigerstar?"

Pinewhite frowned, gazing at his leader uncertainly. She saw the single, uneasy swipe of her tail. "I remember Tigerstar from the stories, but who was Thistleclaw . . . ?"

"His mentor." The russet shecat explained. "Remember Sasha's tales?"

Pinewhite had been hesitating, but the mention of Sasha's name brought it back. "Oh! Yes. But Ashstar! Some faith in your warriors! Surely none of them hold the capabilities of Thistleclaw?" Pinewhite loooked up at her, head snapping straight and his eyes widening while he queried. Seeing her hesitance, his eyes hardened and he took a step forward, baring his teeth. "Well, I'm telling you they don't! We're your clanmates, your warriors! Each and every one of them is loyal and true!"

"Okay, okay!" Ashstar, leaned back, alarmed by her deputy's fire. Pinewhite stopped, then sat himself back and quickly licked his belly fur. Watching him Ashstar sighed, but lighter this time.

She made herself smile reassuringly. "Don't worry; I will. Actually, I've already chosen Sheepshine to be Nettlekit's mentor."

This time, the brown and white tom's eyes widened in shock. "Sheepshine? But-" He paused, befundled, trying to find a tactful argument. Ashstar had a feeling she knew what he wanted to say."Sheep- Sheepshine- She's, um, such a young warrior!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll handle it." Ashstar replied cheerily.

Pinewhite looked carefully at his leader. Ashstar waited for him to protest again, but instead he simply seemed to shake his head as if banishing his doubts. Ashstar felt a warm glow. _He trusts me._

"Very well. On a different matter, I'll be taking the warriors and apprentices for the last falcon training now. Icesong, Brookpaw, Sunswallow, Cricketflame, Acornpaw and Robinleap, right?"

"Better take Hawkspots and Blackfawn too."

"Alright." The deputy nodded his head. "Anything else we ought to take care of?"

Ashstar pondered for a moment, tipping her russet head to the side. "It's the first truly sunny day since ages. We should have a patrol go out later to collect moss."

"Already done. I'm sending the younger warriors and apprentices with Duskwhite later. She already knows, and I think right now she's trying to bug the elders into coming with them."

Ashstar _mroowed_ with amusement. "I wish I could go see that! Very well. Seeing that you have everything taken care of, I think I'll go consult Jayfeather now."

"Starclan guide you." The well-built tom nodded his head respectfully before standing, tail still and low.

Ashstar returned the gesture, and the two cats parted. Looking over the camp one more time, she quickly pounded over to the medicine den, joyfully pouncing from step to step, dashing across the sand like a sandmouse in the desert. She stopped in front of the curtain of hanging bramble tendril hiding the cave, before quickly slipping behind them to enter the dark den. She made no sound on the soft sand floor, yet Jayfeather was already staring straight at her, his light blue eyes like twin stars, by the time she raised her head to look for him.

She offered him a lopsided grin before remembering he couldn't see it. So she quickly spoke her greeting, going through the useless gesture of respectfully dipping her head out of habit. "Greetings Jayfeather."

The tom fixed her with his gaze for a heartbeat; then broke it, sniffing and furrowing his nose. "Yes, Ashstar?"

Ashstar, for an unknown reason, stalled. She took a harder look at the grey tom.

His fur was ruffled as usual, with sharp imprints from his bracken nest, strips of herbs stuck in his halfway unsheathed claws and ears at slightly strange angles. He didn't look troubled or different. But Ashstar had learned to judge cats by the signs they couldn't help but let show. She could tell her medicine cat was badly frustrated. And she knew by what. _The prophecy's getting to him too, isn't it._

"I'm having difficulty deciding on mentors for . . . Birdsong's kits."

The tom didn't seem to register her words, though after a moment of silence he spoke. "You're scared you'll make a wrong decision." Jayfeather growled, making his words a statement, not a question.

Ashstar didn't reply. The blue-eyed tom continued, quietly. "You won't fight the prophecy away, Ashstar. It will happen sooner or later. Life isn't fair." The medicine cat's voice turned bitter when he spoke the last words, eyes darkening, as if lost in his own memories.

"I know!" Ashstar snapped at him before her voice cracked in grief. "I _know_."

He snorted. "So why are you trying so hard?"

Ashstar stiffened, unable to keep from remembering those three nights; the one Jayfeather received the prophecy, the one Birdsong gave birth to her kits . . . and the one another kit had been given birth too, only this one was alone, he was alone, only him, without any littermates, and if it had . . .

She flinched, slamming her head down into her chest, fighting sudden, irrational tears of grief she didn't have any reason to feel, filled with anger at her own frustration.

Jayfeather was silent, simply watching her. Then he lowered his head slightly, keeping his eyes on Ashstar. "Ah . . ." He whispered, keen blue eyes gleaming. "That's it . . . Ashstar."

She fought her burst of emotion, choking down the pain in order to give her cracked voice a chance. "Yes?" She rasped, forcing herself to meet the tom's gaze.

"Would you truly have had Birdsong's offspring killed?"

She sank her claws into the ground to keep herself still. Staring down at her paws, she spoke quietly. ". . . No."

"Even at the cost of your clan?" The grey tom questioned, flicking his bedraggled tail. "Even if that meant danger for your clanmates? Why?"

_Must I say it? Can I even?_ "Because . . . because . . . if it had been him . . . if the prophecy, the prophecy had been me . . . had been him . . . if it was him . . . Cricketpaw . . . he- he had no-" She felt herself choke off and stopped, trying not to let her medicine cat sense her trembling. _But Cricketpaw . . . Cricketflame . . . if it had been him, the prophecy used my name, it would have been him, he had no littermates, he had no littermates, it would have been him, him, the only cat I love, my only, only son, my little bright flame. I loved Sparkfur and Toadstep and Dovewing and Foxleap, and Lightningwing and Stormflight, and many others, but them I loved naturally, in an offhanded way, loving them was as natural as breathing, but Cricketkit . . . I loved him like he was this flame, this stunning light that lead me on . . . always lead me on . . . he was alone, he would have been gone . . . I would have been alone . . . alone in the sudden dark . . ._

Warm fur brushed against hers and Ashstar jumped, breath catching. Jayfeather didn't move, he simply pressed the side of his head and neck against Ashstar's, suddenly very much there and very solid. The russet leader pressed into him in return, needing to feel another cat, needing it desperately, a branch she could hold and scramble onto. The grey tom let her, placing his tail against her flank comfortingly.

Finally, feeling her steadied breathing, he drew away and roughly cuffed her head, all sympathy gone in the blink of an eye. "For Starclan's sake, snap out of it! It wasn't Cricketflame and it has no way of being him!" Jayfeather snarled, his voice sharp. "You're supposed to care for your whole clan! Forgot?"

"Like I'd dare." Ashstar retorted, and despite the slight crack in her voice, she forced her voice to become natural. She rolled her eyes, her grief gone. "You always know how to make me feel better, Jayfeather."

Surprisingly, the tabby tom simply snorted, turning and walking back to his nest, twitching his tail in disdain. He stepped into the bracken, sat down and twisted around a bit, before caring to look at his leader again. "Anyway, I have the answer to part of your problem about mentors." He announced, giving his paw a careless lick.

Forgetting her own annoyance, Ashstar looked up with interest, perking her ears up. "Oh really?"

"Yes. Oh, have you chosen any mentors?"

"Sheepshine for Nettlekit."

The tom nodded.

Then, Jayfeather, looking amused, twitched his tail, the side of his mouth quirking. "How fitting. Now let make me inform you of a choice."

* * *

**EDIT:**

**I published this chapter last night, barely managing to put it up in time, so sadly I didn't have the chance to look through it and edit anything. Now I've had that moment. And yes, you have gotten another chapter in a shockingly short time. I was in a writing mood. (This pretty thing still used up a computer time of five hours. -.-') Oh, and I think it's the longest chapter yet! :D**

**Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed the longest chapter yet! Better than the previous chapter, but I'm still not fully satisfied with it. Oh well. I'll get back in the hang of writing soon enough.**

**Anyway, a day in the life of Ashstar! Man, I hate calling her 'Ashstar'. I wish I could just say 'Ashbird'. It's so pretty~**

**Anyway, Ashstar's breakdown, Jayfeather's wonderful supportive-i-ness, and Pinewhite's already gotten used to his leader. X3 No kits this time. You'll be getting Jayfeather and Ashstar POVs too, you know.**

**Anyway, if you enjoyed, just tell me so in a quick review! If you want to see more, just fav or follow. ^^ See you around next chapter!**


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